Master Replicas Gonzo Photo Puppet

[Keeermit]

i like him actually, his eye focus is off but if we can fix animals eye focus we can fix gonzos. i think he is very well made and once played with and posed properly i think he will look awesome

 

[doc hopper]

A+ on the fur and suit color.

and now, I don't know how else to say this, and I don't make too many opinions around here - but the mesh nose is just how i remember it at comic con - and it just looks like pantyhose. God bless MR and you gotta love Disney decisions.

I'll probably get him anyway - if it's only to round out the collection. But I gotta fix the Marty Feldman eyes.

Thanks Travis for the pics and all of your communication and hard work!

 

[MuppetCaper]

I am still going to wait and see when I get mine as well. If I can fix Animal, I can do Gonzo as well. I don't think he looks that bad. But like I said, I will wait till I get him then go from there. Thanks for putting up some pictures of Gonzo Travis, we really do appreciate it a lot. I hope you will do the same when Fozzie is up.

 

[ElecMayhem]

I am still going to wait and see when I get mine as well.

All I ask is that you give yourselves some time with him... like I said, and like Jamie pointed out with Animal -- he'll grow on you the more you see him/play with him!

Okay, back to LOST...

 

[MuppetCaper]

The only thing I think I would change is his eyes. Other than that he looks awesome and it is nice to see that we can change his clothes. I already have some stuff I have picked out for him!


Here is what I would do with the eyes:

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb82/tsmert/NewGonzo.jpg

 

[ElecMayhem]

Here is what I would do with the eyes:

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb82/tsmert/NewGonzo.jpg

I agree that the pupils could move in a little bit, but I think you may have gone a little too far there.

 

[frogboy4]

An okay critique, but not a rave...

Gonzo is the most difficult Muppet to make! Of course there’s that and the impossible task of mass producing a Muppet. I am still getting Master Replicas’ version, but in this fan's assessment - he pales in comparison to the other two. If accuracy factored into price, Kermit should have been $300 and Gonzo should be listed at $200. Now here comes the honesty! I'll mention again - I've met the blue fella up close and even talked to him (by the way, even Gonzo finds me strange).

The Not-So-Good:

Pupils:
The pupil ratio is what really gives a Muppet the "Muppet look". I don't see how this couldn't have been quality controlled closer? I can understand some alterations in the manufacturing process, but not this much. Wow, he is quite lazy-eyed here (like season one aqua nosed Gonzo). Action figures with tiny little eyes get this sort of pupil placement much better than what is pictured. What went wrong? I didn't have to change my Animal’s pupils so let's hope I get a better Gonzo than the one in these photographs. Otherwise I'll have to peel up the dots and try to place them myself.

Stocking Nose:
I still cannot understand why a lightweight plastic could not have been used for the nose (a hollowed out version of what Palisades Mega Gonzo achieved). Plastic is not the right material, but the texture pictured here just doesn't look right. The dedication to using an actual fabric and foam instead of rotocast or another type of plastic might hurt the appearance of this piece. The stocking covered foam may be truer to the authentic material, but it is much less accurate looking and I think that’s what is most important. It looks like a stocking nose; the seam and the stretching stocking shape are very visible. The texture of his beak is integral to the character’s look and that appears to be lost here.

The Good:

The Suit:
The suit looks fine. Love it. Wanna marry it. The color seems right to me. Ohhhh...that cute little bow tie! That flower too. And his cute little shoes and feet! Me and my Gonzo will need some time alone when I get him. Kidding...kinda.

Head Shape:
His head appears to be shaped correctly and his eye lids seem posable. The white plastic is visible underneath, but I believe the actual poser has this issue. Heck, it's an easy fix like Animal. Also, the blue fur appears like it can be styled better. Those cute little hairs too!

Mouth/Beak Shape:
Good and good! He looks great in profile. The mouth shape isn't perfect, but it's close enough for me. The top lip looks okay to me if he were posed a little better. He’s rarely looking up that much. I can’t tell about the subtlety of colors and shading so I’ll have to judge that in person.
____

As pictured here, he appears to be a very nice, very expensive, finely made Muppet doll rather than a true replica. He’s my favorite character. I expect most die-hard fans to be a little upset about this Gonzo. I can’t imagine anyone thinking he’s more than 75% accurate for any Gonzo (as pictured here). Note - I have seen some worse looking Henson-used posers! But, who knows? With some creative fussing and alteration he could look better. Just wish he’d be good-to-go out of the box. At his price tag he should be.

I thank Travis for being brave enough to snap these. I also know he hopped on board this product at the tail end. I will still order him. I do expect many of these to hang around a while so I might wait for the price to come down before getting one. Probably not because I am still an impatient fan who still wants this Gonzo now!

My unfair rating for what I've seen here (without any alteration) is 3.5 out of 5 stars.

 

[ElecMayhem]

All, I think, fair assessments... But like I said, let him grow on ya too. He will.

And then wait to bask in the glory that is da Bear.

 

[frogboy4]

All, I think, fair assessments... But like I said, let him grow on ya too. He will.

And then wait to bask in the glory that is da Bear.

There is this "smooshing" and settling that the Kermit and Animal posers have that makes them look better with age. Check out the main Muppet Central home page picture of Animal as compared to the ones in my article. He just keeps looking better and it's not because I'm getting used to him. It really does appear to be the material settling. Kermit was so corpse-like out of the box before I smooshed him into submission! Now I can't stop starring at him!

I do have to say, since I did give Gonzo the least favored review of the three - (barring the unlikely hiring and astronomical expense of a talented puppet builder who knows how to make a Muppet) This is the closest anyone will ever get to owning a Gonzo. Sure I wish he were better. Honestly, I didn't have big hopes for it because I know how difficult a puppet he is to build. Any Muppet fan of Gonzo that can afford this should get him!

 

[MuppetCaper]

I do have to say, since I did give Gonzo the least favored review of the three - (barring the unlikely hiring and astronomical expense of a talented puppet builder who knows how to make a Muppet) This is the closest anyone will ever get to owning a Gonzo. Sure I wish he were better. Honestly, I didn't have big hopes for it because I know how difficult a puppet he is to build. Any Muppet fan of Gonzo that can afford this should get him!

I am with you on this one Jamie!